descendant t h e o r y
by inuyasha's lullaby - farewell
Summary: And the bluenettes spin and twirl, dancing in the rain of blood. – For LegitElizabethWWEFan's Rated M Contest.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: not quite **paramnesia**

* * *

" _ **Can you hear it, their screams? Their lovely screams?"**_

" _Heh…hahaha…yes, I can. So splendid!"_

" _ **Isn't it fun to listen to their pleas for help?"**_

" _Very fun, my lord. The variety, the different pitches…it's so exhilarating."_

" _ **I'm glad you enjoy it, my princess."**_

* * *

Tick, tock.

Tick, tock.

Tick, tock.

Tick…

… _tock._

The sounds of a grandfather clock can be quite annoying, and that is what wakes Peach Toadstool up from her slumber. She blinks her eyes twice, attempting to adjust those wide, blue orbs of hers to the eerie and unusual darkness. The princess was confused, completely and utterly confused, and unable to remember any event she had partaken in before she had woken up. It was weird, how a single memory could not replay in her mind; but it was weirder that her entire room was covered in this quiet darkness. She got out of bed, momentarily wobbling and complaining as she tripped over something soft. Was it a shoe? It felt like it. But why were her shoes just lying about on the floor like that? She was never the one to keep things untidy.

Peach decided that the shoe situation was a situation to be thought about later. She stuck her arms out, moving them around carefully as she wobbled like a confused penguin, attempting to find a light source. She felt the walls, lightly patting them in the continuing search for a light switch. Her hand grazed something sticky, and she jerked back, making a repulsed and gagging noise. What the hell did she just touch? Did she have some type of freaky party in here? …No way, Peach isn't that type of person. She can't chug down gallons of alcohol like Samus and Snow, the Wii Fit Trainer, can. One glass of red wine is enough for her, thank you very much.

But still, the sticky substance on the wall freaked her out, and the sooner she could see, the sooner she could figure out what happened to her royal room.

Peach moved around some more, gasping when her slender fingers finally found the light switch. Ah, what wondrous success! She flicked it upwards, ready to be basked in the glow of artificial light…

…only for her to remain in the bothersome darkness.

What.

The.

 _Fuck?_

Great. Just _great_. It's amazing, the odds of all the lightbulbs in her room blowing out. Whoever did this to Princess Peach Toadstool's room was seriously going to pay.

Thankfully, the door was right next to the light switch. Peach felt for the doorknob and twisted it, revealing nothing more than a pitch-black environment. Peach sighed. What the fuck was going on? Why was everything so dark? Did the generator in the basement go off again? Damnit, it is not that hard to replace the old thing. Master Hand was the most frugal floating hand she has ever known.

Well, he's the _only_ frugal floating hand she has ever known, but still, this was the _sixth_ time the generator has went up and died. It was annoying.

The princess decided that she needed to head to the basement, see if anyone was working on it. Once again, it was up to her to solve the problems of the mansion yet again. Peach sighed heavily, noting how much of a chore this was. The whole mansion was blanketed by the darkness, and she has yet to encounter another soul.

Which promptly brought up another thought: where was everyone? Surely, they didn't leave her in the mansion alone. Not _every single Smasher_ this mansion has to offer. If they did, it was a sick and twisted prank, and it shouldn't have been played on her.

Peach turned to her right and walked down the corridor, eyes again adjusting to the darkness. She knew she was on the fourth floor, and the staircase was at the end of the hall. The _click, clack_ of her heels made an echoing sound, and frankly, the peachy princess wasn't feeling so peachy. It was unnerving, being alone like this, no one else daring to make their presence known. Like, what the hell? A whole group of people couldn't have disappeared like that. She shivered slightly, trying to keep her composure. Her eyes darted around the corridor, looking for a sign of –

" _Aah!"_

A loud thump and yelp accompanied her fall, and Peach winced in pain as she landed on her wrist. Sitting up, she rubbed her wrist, and sighed in relief as she decided it wasn't broken. She eyed an object near her feet and grabbed it, examining it.

Amazingly, it was a flashlight.

Peach grinned.

She clicked the button, and lo and behold! Light graciously came from it. The princess scrambled to her feet, happy that something actually worked. It was as though she was in some creepy horror game or story, and she was the unfortunate protagonist, out to search for clues while evading whatever was trying to kill her.

Of course, things don't happen like that in reality. It was just simple case of the lights going off and Peach taking it upon herself to fix the problem.

Though, fact and reality can easily be distorted with fantasy, especially a dark, foreboding fantasy. It's really sad that Peach is oblivious to the happenings around her. Ah, she'll find out the hard way. They _all_ did.

The light was revealed the condition of the hallway: small tables were flipped over, vases were broken, and there were holes in the wall. There was not a party here; parties were not this violent, this… _unsettling_. A sense of despair washed over Peach, albeit temporary, for she quickly rid herself of those thoughts and marched on. She stepped over the shimmering glass shards and broken pieces of wood, walking past the rooms of her fellow Smashers that shared the fourth floor with her. Her curiosity was piqued when she approached Zelda's door, and a slight memory of her running with Zelda flashed in her mind, gone as quickly as it came. Why she was running with Zelda was a question she could not currently answer, and despite being near the start of the stairs, Peach couldn't help but start a small investigation.

Peach stood in front of the door, coming face-to-face with an embroidered sign that displayed _Princess Zelda of Hyrule_ in gold, cursive letters. Zelda was a woman that had taken an interest in the fancies and pretties of life, much like Peach herself. It was the reason why they were such great friends.

She knocked lightly on the door, calling out to the royal Hylian. "Zelda, are you in there, sweetheart? Zellie, answer me if you are in there!" The princess jiggled the doorknob, and the door creaked open, gradually revealing the Hylian princess's bedroom. She took a few steps inside, looking around. It looked relatively clean and untouched, and there was absolutely no sign of Zelda.

Peach sighed. Figures that Zelda wouldn't want remain in her room with the power off. She was probably somewhere in this mansion with Link. She backed out of the room, closing the door behind her.

"Perhaps she is in the foyer?" Peach wondered aloud, placing a finger on her chin. She was about to allow herself to be lost in a train of thoughts when the fast and heavy sound of footsteps caught her attention.

"Hello?" she called out. "Zelda, is that - ?"

"You lying, despicable _bitch! Die!_ "

Peach's eyes widened as she was slapped across the face, the force of the sudden attack causing her to lose her balance. The flashlight flew from her grasp, preventing her to get a good look of her attacker. Stumbling backwards, she cried out in pain and, in her shock, she stepped onto a stair, breaking her heel and tumbling down. A sickening cackle was the last thing she could hear as the pain shot through her body, the serene darkness wrapping delicately around her.

* * *

She was sprawled onto the floor, fingers twitching ever-so-slightly. That proved that she was somehow alive, given the forced option of feeling her limbs ache with pain. Her eyes fluttered opened, and Peach Toadstool felt a warm, sticky substance trickle down her forehead. Blood. It couldn't be anything else than her own blood seeping down her child-like, fear-etched face, dripping onto the floor.

 _Drip, drop._

 _Drip, drop._

She struggled to get up, her body wanting to rebel, her mind telling her to lay back down and succumb to the agony. Her mind was being stabbed with freshly-sharpened daggers, and her vision was on the teetering edge of failing her. Peach cursed, an act she seldom does, as she placed a hand on her now scarlet-dyed hair.

"W-who…the hell would d-do something like that?" she breathed. "Fucking _shit_ , I need to find Dr. Mario…" A flash of gleaming light blinded her momentarily, and she realized that artificial godsend was the flashlight she'd dropped. She scrambled to get it, picking it up as if it was an object dearest to her heart. She shone the light to the direction of the stairs, revealing the state of the third floor.

She wanted to scream, but it seems as though she couldn't produce one more blood-curdling yell.

Blood painted the walls, blood she knew didn't belong to her. Blood that looked fresh, recent. She trembled, fear taunting her by paralyzing her, forcing the princess to stare at the revolting mess before.

"T-t-this is fucking disgusting," she managed to spit out. "What the fuck is this?"

A chill ran up Peach's spine. This was fucking horrible. How could something so terrifying happen without her damn knowledge? This couldn't be happening; this had to be nothing more than a really shitty nightmare. She must be getting fact and fantasy confused, reality and dreams mixed up.

But the blood on her pretty pink dress proved otherwise.

Peach resisted the urge to spew vomit onto the floor. Her priority was getting to the fucking infirmary and fixing her head wound. Thankfully, the infirmary was located on the floor she was on. Peach slowly walked forward, head throbbing, not noticing hearing the faint screaming that came from the first floor.

* * *

 **Well, ladies and gents, this was the first chapter of this interesting little story** **. Not much happened this chapter…well, except someone trying to kill our lovely Peach. Yep, attempted murder this early!**

 **Anyway, I plan to have a total of eight chapters for this contest story, which means I can't procrastinate like I do with all my other stories, heh heh. I've a lot of creepy and moral-breaking things planned for this story; time to be more experimental and abstract than usual! See you in chapter 2!**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: monochrome **factory**

* * *

" _She's running away, milord! We can't allow her to escape!"_

" _ **She won't, my dear. I'll go after her."**_

" _But what about the princess?"_

" _ **Put her in her room. We'll deal with her later."**_

" _Why? I want to kill her good and proper right now!"_

" _ **I know you do, but I don't want to miss out on it. Await my return and do what I say, dear princess."**_

"… _Yes, my precious lord! I shall do as you say!"_

* * *

Her body has never felt so damn _cold_ and _weak_. Each and every step marked a moment in which she wanted to collapse and let whoever's trying to murder her finish the vile act. She thought of questions that her mind could not provide the answer for: why was she being subjected to this pain? What happened to this mansion? What is going on? The stereotypical questions every person in her situation would ponder, would try to solve.

Even being choked by fear and struck with uncertainty and wrapped with pain, Peach couldn't help but feel a tinge of hunger. When was the last time she has eaten…? Ah, she can't remember. Every memory before she woke up was nothing more than a taunting darkness. Pure fucking mockery, designed to darkly poke fun at her current situation. A nice little reminder of her pathetic status as the unfortunate horror protagonist, facing her fears with sweaty palms and useless determination.

Her stomach told her to go scavenge for nutrients like a dirty, starved dog; her throbbing head told her to stop thinking so damn stupidly and attend to your injuries like a good little screwed-over princess.

She doubted there was food in the mansion anyway. Probably rotten and disgusting. Ha, exactly like the situation she was in.

Still, she should check…

Argh, no. Fuck it. Fuck it all. She'll eat when she is certain that she can survive. Her top priority was getting to the infirmary – that precious, wonderful sanctuary – and treat her wounds. From there, she'll figure something out. An escape plan that – hopefully – won't fail her and become the cause of her utterly bloody and horrid death.

Her very unfortunate death.

Her death that she shouldn't be thinking about at this moment.

The eeriness of the third floor haunted her every step, stalking her, wrecking the last of the few nerves she had left. Her footsteps were hollow; her breath was shallow. Would it be so bad to succumb to the sweet invitation of the darkness? It was oh-so-welcoming. It beckoned to her, called gracefully out to her, being a well-decorated invitation.

She took the metaphorical invitation and ripped into pieces, letting it fall to the bottom of her thoughts. She had injuries to tend to, mysteries to solve, and – possibly – lives to save. This was not the time for her to give into death. She is Peach Toadstool, Princess of the Mushroom Kingdom, damnit! She has no plumber in a shining overalls to save her. This time, she could not be the damned damsel-in-distress. This was her labyrinth of hell she has to find her way out of.

Peach glanced up at a sign that dangled over her head. _Infirmary: Next Left_ , it read. Peach grinned. Oh thank God, she'll live! She began running (despite the massive pains and aches that pulsed through her body). She ignored every shot of pain as her heels clacked loudly and rhythmically. Rounding the corner (and nearly tripping in the process), Peach noticed that Dr. Mario's door was wide open.

That was not a good sign. It was a very damn bad sign.

The princess entered the room and saw the good doctor's medical supplies strewn everywhere, various spots of blood decorating the floor. It seems as though everyone took everything they needed and got the hell out. Peach looked around, needing nothing more than a few bandages and some wet cloths. Using the flashlight, Peach illuminated the corner of the room where the cloths and bandages should be.

There were few left, but they were there. Peach scurried over to them, gathering the remaining items in her arms. She walked over to the sink and wet a few cloths, pressing them to her head. Her headache had finally subsided, and there was nothing else left for her to do than to dab at the dried blood and her wounds. Once she determined it was clean enough, she wrapped the bandages around her head, remembering what Dr. Mario told her to do. She wrapped the last bandage and sighed heavily; she was already feeling much better. Now, if only she could discover something to eat, then all will be right with the world.

She popped open some pain pills and took four. It was probably too much, but she would do anything to get rid of her nagging body pains. The princess hoped to pills could kick in quickly; in the meantime, she would stick around here until she fully healed, and then she would go down to the basement, hopefully meeting some of her fellow Smashers along the way.

A high-pitched scream prevented that.

Peach's eyes scoured the room. Who the hell was that? The scream sounded too close for comfort, and the infirmary didn't have high-quality hiding spots.

"Where are you, you stupid bitch? I know you had survived; I didn't hear your bones fucking crush!"

Peach's eyes widened, recognizing that voice from earlier. Not wanting to wait for the fellow hostile survivor, ran out of the infirmary, headed to a hopefully safer part of the mansion.

* * *

Jogging down the stairs, a faint, but foul, smell reached Peach's nose, it seemed to be coming from the second floor. Despite her better judgments, she decided to survey the scene. The smell was comparable to rotten food, and Peach sighed. Who the hell let precious food spoil? Damn, that could've been food she could happily chomp down on.

As she reached the bottom of the stairs, she noticed the smell had gotten stronger, more disgusting. She covered her nose at the revolting scent.

"Why...?" she mumbled to herself. "Why does it smell this way? Oh dear, this is hella unholy…"

Peach walked on the marble of the second floor, noticing that it, too, was stained with blood. Blood, blood, blood. Damn, it was everywhere, constantly mocking her. She looked around, searching for any clues when the clanging of metal caught her attention. She turned around and saw a faint light down the hall, leading to the large training room. She followed the light, hoping to find Mario, Luigi, Marth, Lucina, _anyone_.

The closer she got to the light, the stronger the smell. Ah, it was so rancid, so disgusting. Peach's senses were overwhelmed, and she felt the strong urge to vomit. The princess swallowed it down and soon, she entered the training room.

The entire room was lit by candles. It was like a ritual took place in here. Here, the smell was at its peak, its absolute strongest. Damnit, this was so fucking disgusting and frightening! Peach wanted to run – she regretted walking in here – but the sounds of metal piqued her interest again. The sounds were curiously coming from above her. _Clang, clang, clang._ She slowly looked up, eyes meeting horror at its finest.

There were the bodies of various Pokémon strung from the ceiling, metal chains wrapped around their broken, limp necks. Some of the eyes bulged out almost hilariously in a cartoonish way; others had their eyes rolled back in the heads. Few were graced with having no eyes at all, leaving two deep, black sockets that she swore she saw bugs crawl out of it. She could see the bright pink muscle, the bones poking through their skin. Their skin was marked with various cuts and bruises – they were tortured, these poor Pokémon. Pikachu, Greninja, Charizard, Ivysaur, Squirtle, Lucario, and even Mewtwo. They were all unbelievably dead, mutilated nearly beyond recognition. Out of the corner of her eye, Peach noticed a candle flicker, and her eyes trailed down, down, down…

And then she yelped.

Her eyes were glued to a lifeless Jigglypuff, chained to a makeshift operating table, body split down in two. The candle lights illuminated her, allowing Peach to clearly see and appreciate the anatomy of the Balloon Pokémon. The organs slid past each other, making squishing and squashing noises as they fell to floor. _Plip, plop! Plip, plop!_ There goes what Peach assumed to be a kidney. Then a lung. Then some intestines snaked its way to the floor, followed by another lung and a heart that will never beat again.

It didn't take long for Peach to decorate her dress with bile. A yellow-green dress splashed with polka dots of orange and red isn't the greatest fashion statement. Ahaha, she looked like a mad old woman finally going senile. What a surprise her hair hasn't turned stark white yet. She would begin screaming, showcasing her newfound insanity, when a moving object captured her attention. She was going to panic, but when the object moved into the light, she found it was Pichu. Somehow, the Pokémon made it out unscathed, not meeting the fate his evolved form has faced.

The Tiny Mouse Pokémon eyed Peach warily, as if he was staring into the eyes of an unknown threat. He scampered his way over to Jigglypuff's spilled organs, much to Peach's horror. "No," she squeaked out. But she was helplessly ignored as Pichu analyzed the carnage, looking from the organs to Jigglypuff to the Pokémon that floated like angels above him. Pichu's attention returned to the mess on the floor. Peach squeaked again as Pichu poked at the lung curiously and then, without warning, devoured it. The Pokémon ate it quickly, greedily, leaving nothing left, and lapped at the blood that was on the floor.

Pichu eyed Peach again and growled at her. Peach took the hint, not daring to take a step towards Pichu and his new food source. The Tiny Mouse Pokémon grabbed the other lung – apparently, lungs were his favorite snack – and scampered back into the darkness, leaving Peach alone again.

The princess took the opportunity to drop to her knees and cry hysterically, screaming profanities and pleading for someone, _anyone_ , to wake her from this hellish nightmare.

* * *

They walked into the princess's room, swords in one hand. They weren't too surprised when they realized she had escaped. That just meant they had to hunt her down, and that was the fun part. Looking at each other, they smiled and left the bedroom. The shorter of the two grabbed the taller bluenette's hand, intertwining her fingers with his.

"Milord," she spoke, unable to hide her giddiness, "will I finally get to kill her now? No interruptions or anything?"

The lord smiled and spoke elegantly. "Of course, dear princess. I'm sorry that I had to delay your turn for so long. Can you forgive me?"

The princess chuckled cutely. "Of course I forgive you! I understand that you couldn't allow that precious prey to escape so easily. It's no problem. Besides, I've thought of new and creative ways to torture her! I think you will be impressed."

"I am already impressed by your vigor, dearest. You truly are my descendant."

He grasped his fellow bluenette's shoulders, forcing her to face him, and crushed his lips against hers. The two stayed in that position for a few short moments, with the lord being the one to break the passionate moment off. He caressed her face, staring into her deep blue eyes.

"Absolutely breathtaking," he breathed. "Now, let us go find that wily little Peach, shall we? She's way overripe."

The princess smiled, placing her hand upon the lord's hand. "I agree, milord."

* * *

 **. . .*Swallows down vomit* Well…that was deliciously fucked-up. Let's play** _ **Pokémon Ruined Childhood Version**_ **!**

 **Lol, it had taken so long to write this chapter. But, now that the hard part's done, everything else will be smooth sailing on a sea dyed scarlet! Which means I can finish all eight chapters before August 18** **th** **! See you in chapter 3:** whimpers and **horripilation.**

 **Ya know, I wonder that, since Jigglypuff's a Balloon Pokémon, is she just full of air. No organs or anything, just freakin' air.**

 **Also, I've realized that once I'm done with this story, I'll never be able to play Fire Emblem Awakening the same way again. Good job, Mika, ruining the game for yourself!**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: whimpers and **horripilation**

* * *

" _ **They run, they cry, they beg for help!"**_

" _It's all so hilarious!"_

" _ **It's all so fun!"**_

" _Fun and games, milord! It is simply two bluenettes enjoying their game!"_

" _ **That is right, my princess! Let's continue to have these bloody fun and games!"**_

* * *

Peach traveled the second floor, the eerie quietness of the mansion faithfully reminding her that she can (and hysterically will) die at any moment. She waited for a knife to be driven through her head, a sword to slice her head off, hell, even acid to cause her skin to burn and bubble away. Such cruelness, Lady Fate. The images of her dear Smashers dead haunted her mind, the twisted flashes driving her to brink of insanity. She teetered on the edge of wanting to survive and wanting to die, trying to make the choice of if she should take a step back, or fall gracefully off the edge.

At this bloody point, the princess was essentially roaming the halls, having no sense of direction whatsoever. There was no particular placed she wished to go to, for what place is safe in this exquisite prison? She'll wander and run, wander and run until she becomes tired of it all.

The sound of laughter rang in her ears, two distinct voices chuckling and giggling in the style of little children. Laughter? Who the hell laughs in this situation? A sense of dread blanketed her. Could it be the very people that started this horror? Most likely. Damnit, she had no weapon, no anything. There was no where to hide.

The laughter grew closer.

She was screwed.

Peach began to head towards the sounds. Might as well meet Death himself halfway.

Candles were at the end of her destination, and Peach truly wondered if she was about to see more deformed mystical animals. She gulped – she didn't smell anything that was comparable to a rotting body – but a strange urge to discover the unknown bothered her. It was stupid, and will most likely lead to her death, but it was worth it: if Princess Peach Toadstool were to die here and now, she will die knowing the truth.

Turning a corner, Peach came face-to-face with the mysterious people. She froze in her steps, her eyes locking with theirs, and grinned ever-so-cheerfully.

"Link! Roy!" she exclaimed, tears welling in her eyes. "I'm so glad to see you two!"

Roy's eyes widened in shock. Link returned the smile, grinning stupidly.

"Oh Naga," Roy mumbled, running a hand through his dirtied, fiery hair. "Holy fucking hell, it's Peach! Shit, it is you!"

The prince and the Hylian ran to Peach, tackling her to the ground. They all laughed and cried and expressed their happiness in the dimly lit room, the fears of dying momentarily leaving their thoughts.

"Fucking yes, you are alive!" Link cried, holding tightly to Peach. "I was hoping that nothing happened to the peachy princess! I need you alive so you can continuing baking those delicious cakes!" Peach noted a strong smell of alcohol and frowned. Was Link drunk? Why was he drunk?

Roy smirked. "And what will I do without the princess I flirt with on a daily basis? I can't court a dead person, now can I?"

Peach rolled her eyes, genuinely smiling. Funny how, even when they could all be murdered right this second, Roy Pherae still isn't afraid to show Peach Toadstool that he loves her. It was adorable, according to her most-likely dead friends, and it was even more adorable that she refused to admit she found Roy more than a little bit handsome.

"Even in a situation like this, you two still play around..."

"We have to, Peach," Link began. "It's either that or go insane and kill ourselves."

"Or each other! We can always stoop down to _their_ level," Roy mischievously added. Link and Peach glared at him. "Ah, too soon?"

"It's not even too soon, because we're still dealing with it, jackass." Link hiccuped, standing up. Peach watched as Link struggled to keep his balance, wobbling around until Roy helped him steady himself.

"Link, you're drunk," Peach stated matter-of-factly. She wasn't sure why she pointed out the obvious, but she felt the need to, like she needed to hear herself say that Link (who wouldn't even touch delicious red wine) is completely and utterly drunk.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know. Quite the shocker." Link shrugged. "I figured that, shit, since we're gonna die, I might as well have my first taste of alcohol."

"I've never seen you this pessimistic!" she exclaimed, noting how she herself is experiencing a bout of pessimism.

"I never had to deal with these kind of dark times..." he replied softly.

"That's right," Roy agreed. "Not even the light from that Triforce of his can illuminated the pitch-black cesspool we've found ourselves in."

"The Triforce," Peach repeated. "That's right – the power of your Goddesses, Din, Nayru, and Farore."

" _Fuck the Goddessessssss_ ," Link slurred, bumping into a table. Roy chuckled. "Those whores failed me. They failed Toon Link. They failed Zelda. They fucked me over. After all I've done for them, the bullshit I've done for every-fucking-body, they decide to let me lose everything in front of my damn eyes. Nothing more than tainted harlots under the façade of virgin purity…" Link glanced up to the ceiling, malice in his eyes. He stumbled momentarily, trying his hardest to keep his balance.

"That's right, you all-seeing fuckers!" he exclaimed. "Fuck you! You lying…fucking…fucking… _ugh_."

"Can't come up with any more insults, eh, Linky?" Roy grinned, showing Peach bloodied teeth. She shuddered slightly, hoping neither Roy nor Link saw that motion.

"W-what do you mean the Goddesses failed Toon Link and Zelda?" Peach asked. Link regarded her with hollow eyes.

"I wasn't able to protect Zelda," he explained with a hint of sadness. "We got separated, and for all I know, she could be dead. Disemboweled. Decapitated."

Peach gulped. "And Toon Link?" she shakily asked, not wanting to really know what happened to him.

"Take a gander over there," Link replied, shrugging. Peach turned to see a young boy slumped against the table, an arrow piercing his forehead. Dried blood dyed his adorable green tunic scarlet. Chalk-white bone and bits of brain matter could be seen. The arrow, Peach noticed, belonged to Link. The princess directed her attention back to Link, her fear-filled eyes asking the question for her.

"Don't give me that fucking look," he hissed. "I didn't mean to; I would never hurt Toon Link on purpose."

"Then why is he leaning against the damn table lifeless, Link? Why is an innocent child fucking dead?!"

Link tightly grasped Peach's shoulders. "Because I fucking thought he was one of them, damnit! All me and Roy saw was a fucking shadow moving. I thought it was one of them coming for us, and I shot. I didn't know!" The Hylian loosened his hold on Peach, slumping to the floor, sobbing. "I swear, I didn't know…"

"Link, I…I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you feel guilty – "

"I already felt that way," he deadpanned. "I just wanted to kill one of them, let them die slowly, torture them as they've tortured us."

"Who?" Peach asked. "Who is _them_?"

Roy laughed hysterically, stomping his foot on the ground. Link hissed at him to shut up, and Roy's boisterous laughter turned into childish giggles. The prince himself began to cry, though he still maintained that smile stitched with mental instability.

"For the love of Eliwood, Peach, you don't know who's hunting us down like fucking prey? Damn, your evasion skills are fucking amazing!"

"Peach," Link began, "I know you're not going to believe this, but the people committing these heinous acts are two of our fellow Smashers." Link paused to look at Peach's reaction.

The princess followed Link and slumped to the ground, hugging herself. "N-no…" she mumbled. "None of us would ever hurt someone so dear and precious to us all…"

Link shook his head. "Sorry, Peachy, but it's true. It…it looks like they've gone insane. Or they've been planning this from the start. I don't even know; I don't even want to know. But they're after us – all of us – and looks like they've gotten the majority already. Roy and I, we saw them. We saw their hollow eyes, their crooked, disgusting grins. They were having fun, Peach – fun stomping on the hearts of – "

Link cut himself off, causing Peach to raise an eyebrow.

"Don't stop there, Link!" Roy cried, wiping his tears away. "Tell her! Or would you rather have her experience the pain herself? She may just kill herself from the shock like poor King Dedede. Never knew the body of a freakin' marshmallow could be managed so badly…"

"What? What are you guys going on about?"

Link sighed, gripping his blood-stained tunic. He averted his gaze from Peach's demanding eyes. "We…we saw them stomping on the hearts of Mario and Luigi."

Peach's heart dropped. No, no, no. There was no fucking way she heard that correctly. There was no fucking way her precious Mario and dear Luigi could be dead. Link was lying to her; yes, that was it. That was a disgusting lie and she will refusing to listen to it.

"Peach, it's true," Link continued, as if he read her mind. "We heard screaming, and we ran to see Luigi lying on the floor, Mario trying to drag him to safety. Oh Goddesses, Peach, it was disgusting. I've never see so much blood gush from a man like that. It was so futile, watching Mario pull poor Luigi like that; he was missing the lower half of his body. His guts…they just trailed after him on the floor. I could tell that Luigi was goner, but I could still save Mario.

I was getting ready to run to him, but he noticed us and shook his head. I should have ignored him, done something, but I didn't. It was when Mario was nearing the front door of the mansion that we saw _them_. Mario tried to fight them off, Peach, he really did. But they were too much to handle. Mario screamed for us to run while he dealt with them, and his little harlot walked towards Luigi. Who knew it was so easy to slice someone open? I sure as hell didn't.

Those hearts were like their fucking trophies; I can still hear the heartbeats. _Ba-dump, ba-dump_ …I'll never forget that sound. Mario gave us one last look before he rolled his eyes. I wanted to run over and kill them both with my sword, but Roy dragged me away. I'm so sorry, Peach. I couldn't save Luigi, but I could have saved Mario. Please, I'm so damn fucking sorry."

Peach stared at Link hollowly, regarded him with soulless, emotionless eyes. There would be no reason for Link to lie, to describe vividly the murders of her brave heroes. It was true, every detail was true, so fucking true true _true_ -

 _The truthful reality was enough to kill her._

To continue existing meant continuing to live with the pain, the thought of everyone she ever loved dead.

Existing is pointless.

Her existence is now pointless.

So,

so

 _needless_.

She slowly turned her head to the left, inciting Link's concern. She ignored him, grinning at the Swords of Seals Roy left carelessly on the floor.

The prince should have been more careful. Someone could accidentally kill themselves with that sharp, flawless weapon.

Before she could scramble to her feet to grab the sword, she felt Roy thrown himself against her, knocking her over. Link simply watched as Roy placed his hands on either side of Peach's face, staring down upon her with emotions of anger and shock etched on his face.

"Don't even fucking think about it," he growled, his voice cracking. "Don't you dare take yourself away me, you hear?"

"There's...there's no point in living anymore, Roy! Everyone we know, everyone we love is dead. We're prey, damnit! _Prey!_ I don't want to see anymore dead bodies; I don't want to keep running, delaying the inevitable. I can't do this, I can't do this, _I can't do this_ \- !"

" _Shut up!_ You've made it this far, and you will continue to make it. Do you really think Mario would want you to kill yourself, end up some bloodied mess like Dedede?"

Peach remained quiet, letting tears silently trail down her face. Roy tenderly cupped Peach's cheek, leaning in closer to her.

"No, he wouldn't," he continued. "He would want you to see another day. All those times he saved you, are you really going to let that go to waste? Peach Toadstool, we're going to make it through this. You, me, and Link. We will live. Promise you'll stay by my side. Promise me, my - ."

"Roy, duck!"

A knife flew over Roy's head. The prince looked to Link with fearful eyes and they both nodded in confirmation. He stood up and pulled Peach to her feet, holding closely and tightly as laughter filled the room. The sounds were less cheery, this time balancing perfectly on the line of insanity. Link pulled out his sword, eyes darting around as the sound of footsteps reverberated.

" _Fuck!_ " Roy exclaimed. "It's them again. It's - "

"Roy!" Link interrupted. "Stop fucking talking and run! Take Peach and hide somewhere."

"W-what?" Peach stuttered. "No, no! We're not leaving you behind!"

"Go! I'll be damned to have my friends die. What would be the point of us making it this far only to die now. Go, damnit, go! I'll make sure they don't get to you!"

"Who are they? Tell me!"

" _Leave!_ "

Roy cursed before dragging Peach away, grabbing his sword and heading towards the nearest staircase. Peach held Roy's tightly, heart quickly beating, matching the pace of their frantic running. She swore she could hear Link crying, and she resisted every urge to run back and protect him. The princess gritted her teeth. Who were _they_ , and why the hell were they doing this?

"I'm running away like a fucking coward again," Roy stated as he pulled Peach along. "Just great."

The princess struggled to keep up with the prince's pace as she heard the clanging of swords, the sounds of wicked laughter, and the defeated scream of a Hylian.

And then, there was silence.

* * *

 **Well, I killed Link. Oh well, sorry Link fans. Originally, Roy was supposed to die, but I changed my mind at the last moment. I want Peach to finally stop being alone (and since I pretty much said that Roy has a crush on her and vice versa, I want their relationship to be further expanded upon). Ah, Peach was** _ **so close**_ **to discovering the identity of the murderers; I'm sure she wants to avenge Mario and Luigi's deaths. But don't worry, she'll encounter them eventually.**

 **Also, I've decided that their will be six chapters instead of eight. Thinking about it, I realized I don't really need eight chapters to describe the horror that is...whatever this is. I'll just be dragging the tale out if I had more chapters.**

 **See ya in Chapter 4:** psychopaths, the fitting **sobriquet.**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: psychopaths, the fitting **sobriquet**

* * *

" _I hate when they give us trouble, milord."_

" _ **But it makes it more fun, dearest, watching them struggle against our might. The game becomes so much better when we bring in new players."**_

" _But that Hylian bastard cut my hair! Now it's lopsided. I'm glad his blood now drips from my blade."_

" _ **It'll grow back out. And besides, you look quite adorable."**_

" _R-really? Thank you!"_

" _ **Of course, princess. Now, let us go find those troublemakers he let escape."**_

" _Yes, milord."_

* * *

"Did you see the Pokémon?" Roy asked suddenly, breaking the silence that had formed between them once they left Link. The tension was thick, suffocating them both. The princess didn't mind.

"Yes," Peach replied, her tone flat. She stared straight ahead, not wishing to make eye contact with the flame-haired prince. Her thoughts focused on those plumbers, memories playing in her head like a tragic, never-ending movie. Even now, something inside her still refused to believe the late Link. Mario and Luigi were not dead, they couldn't be, they wouldn't be. For all she knew, they could have formed an unlikely alliance with Bowser.

But she knew better. After all that has happened, she knew fucking better. Mario and Luigi were gone. Link was gone. It was just her and Roy playing along with the cruel game, waiting to either win or lose. (And, with the way things were going, the odds were not in their favor.)

She followed Roy; she was sure he didn't know where he wanted to go. That was fine by her; it allowed her the quiet time to think, to silently grieve to herself.

"Peach."

Her train of thought was broken. Peach sighed, predicating the words that will leave Roy's mouth.

"Are you going to be alright?

"Yes." Peach shook her head, knowing Roy won't believe that. "No – I mean, I don't know, Roy. I just don't know."

"I understand."

"Are you going to be alright?" she asked, feeling slightly selfish for not inquiring about his welfare earlier.

"Yeah, I'm fine. As long as you're fine, you're safe, I'll be alright."

The princess blinked, trying to stop herself from crying. She hated how easily Roy was putting her life over his. Did he really love her that much? Damn, she felt despicable, but there was no use brooding over it – Roy was going to be there for her, to protect her. He'll be damned if anything happened to his Peach Toadstool.

She could only pray that he'll make out alive.

"Why did you stop me, Roy?" she asked quietly, finally looking at him. "Why?"

The prince stayed quiet for a moment, as if he was trying to find the right words. Peach stared at him, waiting for a response. Even in his state of physical appearance, he still captured Peach's eye.

"I love you too much to let you die," Roy replied. Peach sighed, picking up on the sad intonation in his voice.

"Yes, I am quite aware. You've made it clear that you've liked me since the day you met me in the Melee tournament. You would get so jealous whenever I stood around Mario or Luigi; everyone knew it. You weren't that subtle." Peach laughed to herself, trying to lighten to mood and remove the Italian brothers from her thoughts. Awkwardly confronting love is something she would rather handle.

"Not _liked_ ," Roy corrected. " _Loved._ I loved you for so long, and I will still love you. It may seem pointless to you now, seeing as how we're about to die -"

"It's not pointless. Love isn't pointless." Peach stopped walking and turned to Roy. "It's something we both need right now, alright?"

Roy raised an eyebrow. "Both?" he inquired, blushing.

"Yeah," Peach replied, blushing as well. She might as well tell him how she felt before they both died, anyway. What else is there to lose? "I mean, I love you, too..."

Roy stared at Peach, forcing an awkward silence between them. The blonde attempted to figure out what Roy was thinking, but his facial features gave no indication of what was running through that royal mind of his. It was maddening, and the fact that they were just standing here made them more vulnerable to the dangers lurking in the mansion. She was sure the Smashers that killed Link were following them, waiting for the perfect chance to strike.

"Roy...?" she said, trying to speed his thought processes along. Her face morphed into a look of confusion as Roy began to laugh.

"It would've been wiser to admit this earlier, when we didn't have to worry about death looming over our heads."

Peach couldn't help but laugh. "Yes, you do have a point there. I'm sorry."

"There's no need to apologize." Roy grabbed both Peach's hands, squeezing them lovingly. "Can...can I kiss you?"

The princess smiled. "Of course you can."

Roy pressed his lips against Peach's delicately, moving in closer to her. Peach closed her eyes, melting into the passionate action. This is what she needed – someone to love her, care for her, remind her that she needs to continue to live. Remind her that she cannot lose no matter what.

Remind her of her purpose.

She kissed him more feverishly, entangling her fingers in Roy's hair. She pressed her body closer to his, wanting more of his warmth, not realizing how deep their intimacy was becoming until she felt her dress being gently lifted and the prince's hand caressing the inner part of her thigh.

Her breath hitched and she moaned contentedly, shivering as the prince moved his nimble fingers around her more delicate, sensitive places. Despite wanting Roy to go further with his movements, she knew that this wasn't the right time nor place to consummate their relationship.

"Roy," she breathed, pushing away from him. "We can't...not right now..."

Roy frowned, nodding. He pulled Peach back to him, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"I understand," he said softly, nuzzling against him. "It would probably be more romantic if we were cleaner, was in a fancy room, and not running for our lives, wouldn't it?"

Peach smiled. "Mm-hmm."

"What a slut, letting him feel you up like that? Don't you have better things to worry about?"

Roy and Peach abruptly broke away from their embrace, turning to face the speaker of those cruel words. Peach's eyes widened in horror. It can't be her – anyone but _her_.

There stood Rosalina, grinning devilishly at them. She held a blood-slicked sword in her hands – a sword she recognized as belonging to Ike. Realization slapped Peach across the face:

Rosalina is the mysterious character that attempted to kill her.

"We meet again, you bitch."

The duo couldn't even react before Rosalina charged at them with a blood-curdling scream.

* * *

"Did you hear that, milord? It came from over there."

"Ah, yes, I did! Seems like someone's having fun without us."

The female bluenette frowned. "How dare they! We must show them that they shouldn't try to stray to far from the original rules."

The lord chuckled. "Indeed. Rulebreakers face serious consequences."

* * *

 **...I did not intend for any sensuality in this story, but I was trying to figure out a way to transition from Roy and Peach's declaration of love and it...it just kinda happened. I wasn't going to write a full-blown scene, though; I wouldn't want it to be like those cliché horror movies where the couple's having sex and they get murdered in the middle of the act and -**

 **I'm getting off-track. The romance here seems a little cheesy; I haven't mastered the art of writing love in a story where everyone is dead or in the process of dying. It's actually a bit of a filler chapter, designed to move the plot along slowly until I could find the right moment to introduce Rosalina (ah, can you believe that it was Rosie that tried to kill our Peach in Chapter 1?) This chapter and the next are purposely short in order to build up to the grand finale. Anyway, there's two more chapters to go! Next chapter, you all will finally see the true, sick stars of the story. Oh, what joy! See ya in Chapter 5:** sweet,delicious, ripe **peach** (blood, wondrous, precious **vermillion** ) **.**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: sweet, delicious, ripe **peach** (blood, wondrous, precious **vermillion** )

* * *

"Rosalina, the fuck are you doing?!" Roy cried as he dodged a swing from Ragnell. The galactic princess was obviously not used to wielding swords, and she handled it weirdly, recklessly, in her attempt to kill her fellow princess.

"Shut up and die so I can focus on this peachy bitch!" She swung again, missing and breaking a vase. "She broke her promise to me and Zelda! She needs to die!" She kicked Roy in the stomach and turned around to attack a shocked Peach.

"What promise?" Peach cried, rolling out of the way. "What have I done? I don't remember anything!"

Rosalina screamed in frustration. "You let Zelda die and left me behind, that's what you've done, wretch!"

Peach blinked, trying to comprehend the words that left Rosalina's mouth. "W-what?"

"You heard me. They were after us, Peach! We-we managed to save Zelda. We didn't know of Link's whereabouts, and Zelda, she...she was so frantic. We were so close to escaping when they found us! We couldn't see them – they moved quickly, like taunting shadows. You pushed me in a closet, told me to hide, and I saw it, I saw it all!"

"Saw what?!"

"You let Zelda die!" Rosalina repeated, screeching. "They grabbed her, but she managed to break free and run from them. And what did you do? You just stood there like a fucking coward! Don't tell me you don't remember?"

"No...no..." Peach buried her head in-between her knees, crying, horrid memories returning to her a vile rush.

" _Please, Peach help me!"_

" _Peach, please, I don't want to die!"_

" _No, no, no, no! Someone help me, someone help me, please!"_

 _"No, don't do this! Don't do this!"_

The princess remembered it all. She did leave Zelda to die. Those agonized screams were the last thing she heard before she was knocked out. She now knew why she couldn't find Zelda; it was because she was dead, dead due to cowardice of the princess of the Mushroom Kingdom. The killers must have dragged her to her room, planning to finish her off once they were done with Zelda.

She shook and shivered, slowly raising her head up to see Rosalina's glare, blue eyes that screamed, _"You should die!"_

"I was glad when they knocked you out and dragged you away!" Rosalina continued. "But...but when I saw you there, standing near the staircase, I was so fucking disappointed that you'd managed to survive! You should have died! It should have been you instead of Zelda! _YOU SHOULD HAVE FUCKING DIED!_ "

Rosalina raised the sword over her head. Peach blinked again, finding herself unable to move. Everything seemed to move in slow-motion: Roy running to save her, the sword inching ever-so-closer to her. This was it: this was the way she deserved to die. It was over, all over. She didn't dare cry – she wouldn't dare cry.

She did not expect blood to suddenly spray on her, blood from the ethereal beauty that was about to kill her. She didn't expect those wide, blue eyes suddenly go lifeless, the cardinal liquid gushing from her mouth.

Rosalina fell to the floor, dropping Ragnell, her last breath leaving her. She looked to Roy, who only simply gasped and pointed in front of him. Peach's eyes focused upon Marth Lowell throwing an empty Super Scope to the ground, with Lucina Lowell standing loyally next to him.

"So this is why the battle items aren't allowed to be used outside of battle," Marth remarked. "Master Hand, you were one sly bastard."

"Marth, Lucina!" Peach exclaimed, happy to find more survivors. Her luck was beginning to change for the better. She started to walk towards them. "I'm so - "

Roy held her back with one arm, much to the princess's confusion. She looked at him and was shocked to see pure malice and hatred on his face.

"Damn, these bastards found us," he growled. "Just fucking great."

"W-what...?" Peach looked back at the bluenettes.

"There's our princess, Lord Marth!" Lucina cried. "Aww, and she brought the young lion that eluded us for so long! Naga is shining down upon us, is she not?"

Marth nodded, a crooked smile plastered on his face. "Yes, she is. She has brought us the last two players of our game. Finally, things can progress again!"

Lucina jumped giddly, pulling out Falchion. "Yes, yes, yes! Let's have our much-needed fun!"

Peach shook her head in disblief. No, no, no. Anyone but them. Anyone but fucking them. There's no way that Marth and Lucina Lowell could do these twisted things.

"Let's see how long it takes for these two to bleed, Lord Marth!"

No.

"Ah, you want to take the slow route, dearest Lucina? Don't you want to see their live leave their eyes right now, especially since they caused us so much trouble." Marth pouted, directing his attention to Peach and Roy. "That wasn't nice you guys, making us wait. See, I was going to make your deaths quick and painless, because I actually like you guys."

 _No._

"But milord, torture is so fun! We have to make them feel the pain we felt as we scoured this entire mansion looking for them!"

 _NO!_

"Why are you two doing this?!" Peach screamed, unable to hold back her anger. "Why? What is your purpose of killing us off like we're your prey?!"

Marth and Lucina stared blankly at Peach as if she was crazed. "Such stupid questions," they said simultaneously, raising Peach's ire even further.

"Don't fuck with me!" she retorted, clenching her fists. "You killed people! Link. Rosalina. Pikachu. Luigi. Mario. Everyone is fucking dead because of you two!"

"Well, not everyone. You two are still here," Lucina innocently corrected.

"You're murdering us all like it's a fucking game!"

"It is a game!" Marth stated, annoyance flickering in his eyes. "And it's really bothering that you cannot seem to grasp the concept of a game. We grew bored with the tournaments, with the pointless, friendly matches. I wanted me and Lucina to have more fun, more exhilaration! What could be more fun than this? This is the greatest game I have ever played!"

Roy stared at Marth. "You...you bastard," he finally said, voice cracking. "Why would you do this to us? We've known you since the Melee tournament...why would you do this?"

Marth grinned wider. "Why not? I'm glad you two are last; I get to see your beautiful faces one last time. You know what? Just for you two, I'll make sure you'll feel not a single shiver of pain. That is what friends do, after all. Sorry, Lucina, the torture is off."

Lucina pouted. "No fair!"

Marth wrapped his arms around Lucina and brought her closer to him for a kiss. "Don't worry – you can do whatever you want to their bodies once the game ends."

"...Really?" she asked, still pouting slightly. Marth smiled and nodded.

"Yes, really."

Lucina grinned, a light flush appearing on her face. "Oh, Lord Marth, I love you so much!" she exclaimed, kissing him. "I love you, I love you, I love you!"

"What the fuck is wrong with you two?" Roy demanded, taking the words right from Peach's mouth. A look of anger flashed on their faces before immediately being replaced by a fake smile.

"It's called true love, young lion," Marth cooed, stroking Lucina's hair. "Funny how you don't recognize, as it seems that is what you and Peach have finally acquired."

"Too bad they won't feel it for long," Lucina remarked. "The game must go on, and they won't be as lucky as us."

"Shame I missed the moment to see ol' Roy confess his love."

"Peach," Roy whispered as Marth and Lucina talked amongst themselves. Peach stood closer to the prince, her eyes never leaving the bluenettes.

"Yes?"

"When I say run, you run, alright?"

Peach nodded.

"What are you two whispering about?" Marth demanded, pulling out his own sword. Lucina moved away from him, smiling crazily. "Whispering counts as cheating, and I don't appreciate cheating." He inched towards them, and Roy grabbed Peach's arm.

" _Run!_ " Roy hissed. Without replying, Peach found herself turning away from the bluenettes, frantically following Roy.

A groan escaped Marth's lips. "Really, must you two run? It's getting a little boring; I don't like being bored. Come, Lucina – let us finish the game."

"Yes, my lord! The end is nigh!"

* * *

 **Ahaha, one more chapter to go! Woo-hoo! I love writing Marth and Lucina as creepy murderers; it's so deliciously fun! Wait...that sounded weird, heh heh...See you all in the finale, Chapter 6:** what happened to your normality and **sanity?** (descendant **theory** ) **!**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: what happened to your normality and **sanity?** (descendant **theory** )

* * *

Peach does not remember picking up Ragnell, but it was currently in her hands as she and Roy ran from Marth and Lucina. She panted heavily, running as fast as her body was capable of.

Marth. Lucina. God, it was sickening to see them become...become these monsters. These monsters that had taken joyful glee in murdering their dear Smashers, glee in watching the insanity unfold.

Why the fuck did this have to happen?

 _"You can't run from us forever!"_

 _"Just accept fate for what it is!"_

"Fuck off, you bastards! Go burn in whatever hell you worship!" Roy cried. "Peach, run faster!"

"I'm trying!" she exclaimed. And trying she was. She felt tired, and Rosalina's words still rang in her heart. It was like a weight was placed, a weight that grew heavier and heavier, edging closer to crushing her.

Why couldn't it kill her already?

Not seeing where she was going, Peach tripped, knocking Ragnell far away from her. Roy attempted to pull her up, only to be confronted by Lucina. She grabbed Roy's cape and pulled him away, grinning widely at Roy's anger. Peach screamed as Lucina raised her sword.

"Move, you psychopathic bitch!" Roy growled, pushing Lucina away in an attempt to reach Peach.

"How dare you harm my princess, you fucking wretch?" Marth followed Roy, grabbing his cape and pushing him roughly. The prince fell to the ground, narrowly missing the blade that followed his fall. "You aren't supposed to be in the game anymore!"

"Fuck you!" the redhead screeched, scrambling away from the enraged bluenette. "This is not a damn game! This is fucking sick!"

"It is a game, a game for my princess and I! You are breaking the rules by continuing to live!" Marth continued his swipes at Roy, his blade flailing wildly as Roy recklessly dodged every attack. Peach retrieved her dropped weapon, running towards the fellow male royalty. She had to stop Marth, she had to make sure Roy lives. One little mistake and _whoosh_ , it will all be over.

"Stay put!" Lucina yelled. Peach didn't even realize that the bluenette was within close proximity to her until she herself was tackled to the ground, strong hands gripping his delicate throat. Air escaped her, and she struggled against Lucina's might, her legs kicking in every direction, her body slowly going limp. A yelp from Roy was heard, though it sounded so faint. Peach's eyes darted around frantically, looking for anything, something, to stop the attack. Damn, this is not how she intended to die. This will not be the way she will die. There must be a miracle, please let there be a miracle, please please please -

She saw a sparkle from the corner her eye. It was shard of glass from the broken vase, and it was within her reach. With a yell, she managed to grab Lucina's hair and pull her away, gasping and taking large breaths as Lucina landed on her side.

The princess scrambled for the shard, carelessly grabbing it, not even wincing as the glass sliced her hand, releasing small droplets of blood. She quickly turned to Lucina leaping at her and, without a second thought, cut the bluenette's throat, watching as the vermillion liquid immediately spilled onto her clothes and splash upon Peach's face.

Peach stood up, looking down upon Princess Lucina Lowell, looking at the way she frantically tried to stop the bleeding. Blood leaked from her mouth, choking and gurgling. She trembled as the realization of she, Peach Toadstool, has committed her first murder, dawned upon her. Does it even count if she was the one trying to protect her life? The blood of fellow royalty was quite literally upon her.

"No!" Marth screamed, pushing Roy away. His cries registered in Peach's mind as pure agony and grief, and she helplessly watched him scoop Lucina in his arms, dropping Falchion. Her blood was unnoticeable on his scarlet-stained clothes, and her tears streamed down his face.

"I-I'm s-s-sorry," Lucina stuttered, body weakly jerking as Marth's tears fell upon her face. "I-I-I ruined...the game...my lord..."

"No, Lucy," Marth cooed, stroking Lucina's hair. "You didn't ruin anything. It's not your fault; none of this is your fault. I should have protected you..."

"Marth..."

"Shh, Mar-Mar is here for you. I'll finish the game for you, darling. Look! Just look at see!" Marth gently placed Lucina down and glared at Peach, his eyes darkening with unadulterated malice.

"Bitch," he growled. "See what you've done!" He grabbed Falchion, rising up. "I'll kill you! I'll fucking kill you - !"

Marth stopped, eyes widening as the Sword of Seals pierced his abdomen. Blood gushed from his mouth, dribbling down his chin and to the floors like crimson raindrops. He slumped to the floor, lying besides his now-crying Lucina, creating a puddle of blood that soaked his clothing.

"I...I-I love you, Lucina," he cooed, shakily reaching out to touch her face.

"I...love you, too, Marth..." Lucina placed her hand upon Marth's smiling. He returned the smile, inching closer to her to place his blood-stained lips against hers. Arms intertwining around each other's bodies, the bluenettes sighed happily as the bodies went limp, the last breath escaped them, and their eyes gradually closed.

Peach panted, running over to Roy and jumping into his arms. She sobbed, allowing the prince to place comforting kisses upon her head. It was just her and Roy left. The game has ended, and they were the fortunate winners.

Peach examined Roy's face, noticing to cut on his cheek. "I'm fine," he said when she asked if he would be okay. "Will you be alright?"

"Yes," she said, speaking truthfully. She stood up, extending a hand and pulling Roy up. "I will be, for now."

"Good." He grabbed Peach and kissed her passionately, ending it as quickly as he started it. The princess eyed the front door, and Roy nodded in agreement.

Peach and Roy placed their hand on the knob and looked at each other, nodding, their eyes reassuring each other that yes, this is really happening. They twisted, slowly opening the door to their grand finale...

...And they both stepped out, the breeze flying past them, the sun basking them in an unreal glow.

* * *

 **Yes, I've finished it! I was cutting it close with the deadline (finished it at 11:53 P.M., U.S. Central Time). Whew! This lovely story is now finished! I want to thank Elizabeth for letting me join the contestants, and I wish my fellow contestants the greatest of luck! See ya!**


End file.
